Popcorn machine



March 19, 1940. c. E. QUICK POPCORN MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed sept. 2e, 19:58

March 19, 1940.

C. E.. QUICK PoPcoRN MACHINE Filed sept. 26, 19:58A

7 Sheets-Sheet 2 (Yaya/e E Qaz'C/ March 19, 1940.

c. E. QUICK Porconn MAcHINE Filed sept. 26, 193s '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 March l19, 1940. c. E. QUICK POPCORN MACHINE Filed Sept. 26, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 19, 1940. c. E. QUicK 2,194,074

POPCORN MACHINE Filed Sept. 26, 19.38 7 Sheecs--SheerI 5 March 19, 1.940. c, E. QUICK 2,194,074

POPCORN MACHINE Filed sept.` 2e, 19:58 7 sheets-sheet e NJ MJ jkl/enger" (Jaaa/@ Quz'C/ March 19, 1940. c. E. QUICK POPCORN MACHINE Filed sept. 26,1938

7 Sheets-Sheet 7 y m@ Wy y.. mf. ,a Q l J www@ j j 9 7 A..\\ m, y It gx Z L6 OV l l l I 1 I ll Patented Mar. 19, 1940 l yUNITED STATES PATENTr OFFICE POPCORN MACHINE Application September 26, 1938, Serial No. 231,695

14 Claims.

This invention relates to the production of popped popcorn or the. like, and. provides improved means and method more particularly for large scale production of such product.

5 Among other objects the invention aims to provide automatic or partially automatic machin.- ery which eliminates the necessity for any human hands to touch the products from the time the raw material or unpopped kernels are deposited in the material bin until the popped popcorn has been packed in bags or other containers for delivery and sale.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken together 15" with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic View showing a side elevation of the machine;

Figure 2 is a vertical section or somewhat end View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking to#- ward the right;

Figure 3 is an-enlarged partial vertical section taken on the line 3 3` of Fig. 1, looking toward the left;

f Figure 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3

251 with the part shown in section and on'a larger scale, and being a-section taken on the line 4`4 of Fig. 6;

Figure 5 is a further fragmentary View similar to Fig. 4 but with parts omitted and other parts 309 shown in section, vand being the line 5-5 of Fig. 6;

Figure 6 is a partial longitudinal section taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 3, somewhat enlarged;

Figure 7 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 6

3'5"but in elevation instead of in section, and showing the parts in alternative position in full lines, the dotted lines in Fig. '7 showing the parts in the position shown in Fig. 6; Y

y Figure 8 is a partial elevational view take 40" on the une a-s of Fig. a;r

Figure 9 is. a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 3;

Figure 10 is a partial enlarged side elevational a section taken on Fig. 10 and being a view taken on the line |2-I2 of Fig. 10, somewhat enlarged;

Figure 13 is a planlview of the structure of Fig. l2, parts being shown in` section and being a View taken on theline I3-l3 of Fig. 12; and

Figure 1.4.'is a fragmentary elevational view partially in section taken on the line |4--I4 of Fig. ll ona larger scale.

Referring in detailv to the illustrative construction shown in the drawings, a supply of unpopped popcorn kernels is deposited in the supply bin 20 from which rthey Aare elevated -by the vertical tubular screw conveyor 2| through a. chute 21a, to a header 22 which is also in the. form of ay tubular screw` conveyor running horizontally of and above the individual. heater pots 23. It willv be understood that each of these heater pots may be individually heated by electrical lheating 'elements of conventional commercial design and. not here necessary to be described. For each` of the heater pots 23 there is a kernel-measuring receptacle 2t. and when all of theser kernelmeasuring receptaclesZd are lled theexcess raw material passesfback to the supply bin 20 through the chute 25.

When the individual measuring receptacles 24 each for an individual heater pot 23 has been filled with unpopped kernels, one or more of these kernel-measuring receptacles may be.- emptied through the spout 24a into its respective heater pot 23, in this instance by manual means including the handle 26 for each kernel-measuring receptacle, and by manipulation of this handle an auxiliary measuring receptacle 2l for salt, is automatically lled, by means later described. When now the handle 26 is moved in the reverse direction to close the measuring receptacle 24,-the contents of the salt-measuring receptacle 2l are at the same time automatically emptied through the spout 21a into the heater pot. Then by manipulation of the lever 28 and the bell crank 29 a suitable quantity of oil such as butter oil or the like, is emptied from the oil-measuring receptacle 30 through the spout 30a (Fig. 3) into the heater pot, the oil thus seeping down through the portion of the kernel supply received in that particular heater pot and carrying with it the salt which has been alsordeposited therein on top of the kernels, the mass thus being permeated by the salt .and oil. Thereupon the heater pot is electrically heated as already referred to, to pop the kernels. When the contents of an individual heater pot has been suitably heated as may be determined by the skill of the operator or by other means not necessary to. be .here described,

the heater pot may be turned upside down on its trunnions 3! to empty the popped corn onto the upper run 32a or" the Wire conveyor belt 32 which has the side guards 33 therefor forming a trough extending the length of the row of heater pots 23. The wires of this wire conveyor are so spaced apart that any unpopped kernels and broken pieces'of corn which are smaller than the popped corn will drop through onto the oor 34 of the conveyor channel 35 from which they are swept by movement of the lower run 32h of the conveyor in a reverse direction to empty them into the discard funnel 36. Desirably, a series of parallel runs of piano wire or the like 32o are strung about one-half inch apart longitudinally about the Wire conveyor 32 and movable therewith. This prevents the larger kernels from working through the conveyor.

The popped corn is carried by the upper run of the conveyor belt 32 to the delivery hopper 31 from which by a measuring device 38 a suitable quantity may be deposited within the bag 39 (Fig. l) which may then be wrapped for sale. The screw conveyors 2l and 22 and the wire belt 32 may be operated as shown in Fig. 2 by a motor speed reducer 4S having a chain drive 4l to the countershaft 42 which drives the conveyor belt 32 by another chain drive 43, and by suitable gears 43a meshes with the shaft of the screw conveyor 2l, and by suitable gears 43h chain 42a drives the screw conveyor 22. A sprocket reduction assembly for the chain 42a causes the conveyor 22 to run at slower speed than conveyor 2|.

The salt supply may be manually replenished by being deposited in the salt storage containers 44 which communicate with the salt-measuring receptacles 21 for each heater pot.

The oil supply may be contained in a storage tank 45 which by means of a pump 46 operated by a motor 41 the oil supply may be circulated through a system of pipes including the pipes 48 and 49 (Fig. 3) to the oil-measuring receptacle 30 with the overflow thereof returning to the tank 45.

The package-measuring device may be operated by a foot pedal D (Fig. 10) by the compressed air mechanism shown in Figs. to 14 inclusive, as will presently be more fully described.

It will be understood that the various mechanisms and structures referred to may be suitably supported by a framework or standards which as an entirety may be mounted on rollers to be moved from one part of a bakery or candy manufacturing shop or the like, where such operations may suitably be carried on.

I will now describe in more detail the kernelmeasuring device 24 and its operation. As best shown in Fig. 6 this is in the form of an inner cylinder 5l and outer cylinder 52 within which the inner cylinder snugly is manually rotated by means of the handle 26. The inner cylinder has two ports angularly spaced apart, 53 and 54. In the position of the inner cylinder as shown in Fig. 6 the port 53 (Fig. 6, and as shown in dotted lines in Fig. '1) is open to the horizontal conveyor 22 by communication with the orice 55. The outer cylinder 52 has an opening 5S communicating with the orices 55 and another opening 51 communicating with the delivery spout 24a. The inner cylinder is in position to be filled with unpopped kernels by the operation ofthe conveyor. When now the handle 28 is moved -from the dotted line position in Fig. '7 and in which position it is shown in Fig. 6, to full-line position in Fig. '1, then the port 54 in the inner cylinder is brought into register with the opening 51 communicating with the delivery spout 24a and the contents of the inner cylinder 5| are thus emptied into the heatei` pot 23. At this time the port 53 in the inner cylinder is closed by being out of register with the opening 5G and thus the conveyor 22 cannot deposit any kernels in the kernel-measuring device until the inner cylinder 5l is restored into position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7 and also shown in Fig. 6.

As best shown in Fig. 5, the inner cylinder 5| is keyed to the shaft 58 of the handle 25 and one head 59 of this inner cylinder is movable longitudinally on the shaft 58 as by the screwthreaded lock nut connection 60 so that the amount to be measured by the kernel-measuring device may be varied to suit the amount desired to be deposited in the heater pot.

Similarly, as best shown in Fig. 6 the saltmeasuring device 21 is composed of inner andv outer cylinders 6| and 62. The inner cylinder 6| has two angularly spaced-apart ports 63 and 64 which are adapted to register respectively with openings 65 and 6G in the outer cylinder 62, the openings 35 and 66 opening into the salt storage container 44 and the delivery spout 21a respectively. When the kernel-measuring device is in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. '1 and as shown in Fig. 6, a pin 61 on the end of the cylinder 5l has kicked an arm 68 rigidly secured to the cylinder El so as to place the port 64 in communication with the opening 66 and empty the contents of the salt-measuring device into the heater pot through the delivery spout 21a. When now the handle 25 is returned to full-line position as shown in Fig. 7, another pin 69 kicks the arm 68 to rotate the cylinder 6l to close the port 64 and place the port 63 in communication with the opening 65 which refills the salt-measuring device 21 from the salt storage container 44. Thus operation of the handle 26 to deposit the kernels in the heater pot lls the salt-measuring device 21 and operation of the handle 26 to fill the kernel-measuring device for the next operation empties the salt-measuring device, thus causing deposit of the salt to follow subsequent to and on top of the kernels in the heater pot. As best shown in Fig. 4 by means of a plug end 10 and set screw 1I the capacity of the saltmeasuring device 21 may be regulated to determine the amount of salt so deposited.

I will now describe the oil-measuring device and its operation. The bell crank lever 29 already referred to is connected by a rod 12 (Fig. 9) to lift a reciprocally movable inner cylinder 13 Within the outer cylinder 14 of the oil-measuring device 30, this inner cylinder 13 being hollow and thus forming an oil cup, which has a port adapted to be placed into and out of register with the port 16 in the outer cylinder, the port 16 opening into the delivery spout 30a.

Oil pumped as described from the tank 45 rises through the pipe 48 (Fig. 8) and into the oil cup 13 through another port 11 in this oil cup which in the position of the oil cup shown in Fig. 9 is in register with the pipe 48. Since the ports 15 and 16 are now closed the oil rises in the oil cup to the top thereof just above which there is an overflow port 18 in the outer cylinder 14 through which the overflow returns to the tank 45 by the pipes 15 and 49. When the oil cup 13 is raised by the manipulation of the handle 28, the ports 11 and 18 are closed and the port 15 is placed in CII :i bag-measuring device.

the gatedff. The ilexible pipe ||.0,similarly con-a registerwith'the port .'16 whereupon substantially all of the contentsnof'tlfieA oil cup except a small residue below the port 'I5 will Vflow through.r the spout Sila.- intothe heater pot. At this time, in order to permit continuous operationk of the pump litthe oil continues to ow beneath the oil cup and through thepipe lill.,` returning to the tankthrough thev pipe 4.9. A drain'pipe 8| at the bottomof the outer cylinder 14. also communicates with the pipe. 49 land returns any oil received therein to the tank. It vwill be understood that there is one of these oil-measuring devices 30 for eachv of theheater pots 23 and the pipes-48 and 49 may be .connected with the inlet header 82 and the return header 83 respectively. The skirt 13a. of the oil cup 'i3 limits downward movement of the oil cupin thehollow cylinder 14, and a slotllain this skirt permits ythe oil to ilow therethrough from the pipe 4S to the pipe 8| inintermediate positions of the oil cup so that rapid continuous circulation of the oil is permitted atall times and in any position of the oil cup-'|3. v

I will finally describe the -operation ci the vice 3B; is closable atthe top by a gate S4 (Fig. 10) operated: by a pneumatic cylinder i5 and closableat thel bottom. by another 8S operated by. another pneumatic cylinder il?. t will be noted thatr the delivery hopper .3l is closable at its lower end` bythe gat-e te. Belcw this the delivery funnel is in three sections 8S, 8B and Sill, the section 89 being'sleeve-like and the sections $8 andv 99 being telescoped within the cuter section 89. The gate 85 andl its pneumatic operating cylinder 8l are adjustable verticallywith the funnel section 96, so. 'as to increase or decrease the distance between the gates 84 and 85 and thusl regulate the amount of popcorn to be deposited in a package or bagl 3S. For this purpose a pair of turnbuckle devices 9| carry these lower parts in cooperation with the vertically extensible framework 92 suitably carried by the standard 93 of the machine as a whole.

The air cylinders 85 and 81 are connected by iiexible pipe sections 94 and H0 which permit the adjustment apart of these cylinders 85 and 8'! as above described.

By means of an air supply pipe 95 (Fig. ll)

controlled by a hand valve 91, air under pressure is constantly received in the pipe 98 upto the four-way valve 99 which is controlled by the pedal 5B. When the pedal -is not depressed to actuate the valve 99 by means of the chain |00 connected. with the pedal and meshed with the sprocket lill, the valve member proper |02 of valve 99 is in the position shown in Fig. 14, in which the compressed air passes through the pipe '|93 to the pipe |94 for the cylinder 85 and at the same time through the exible pipe 94 to the cylinder 81, thus operating the pistons within the air cylinders 85 and 81 to move the gates B4 and 86 simultaneously into position where a circular cut-out |05 in ther upper gate 84 registers with the interior of the funnel section 88 (Fig.

13) and permits popcorn to fill the measuring device 38 which is at this time closed at its lower end by the gate 86. In this position of the cylinder piston the exhaust side of the piston 85 communicates with the pipe |06 and with the pipe |01 through the valve 99 and the pipe H38 where it is blown by means of the jet IlS into the lower end of the delivery hopper 31, lightening the Weight of the delivery supply of popcorn and agitating the popcorn, thus preventing jamming of The `bag-measuring deveysto the pipe |91 the exhaust from the cylinder 8l.

When now theoperatorwishes to flla bag .39, the pedal 50 is pressed upon, and the'valve mem-- ber |92 of the valve 99 is rotated'ninety degrees with'respect .to its position as shown in Fig. 14 so as to connect the inlet pipe 93 with` the pipes lill, |66 and Mil, which moves the cylinder pis.-

tons in the opposite direction to close the gate 84 and to open the gate 86, whereupon. the con-` again through the jet. B9 into 'the delivery hoppe L for the same purpose as before.

A helical expansion spring connected to the. end of the chain Ill. restores the pedal 50 toA initial position and at the same time the valve 99.

Itis understood that the invention is not limited to details of construction shown for purposes of exemplification. Furthermore, it is not indispensable that all features of` the invention be used conjointly, as various combinations andsubcombinations may be advantageously employed;

Having described my invention, I clairnz.

l. In a popcorn machine, the combination of a plurality of heater pots, a kernel fmeasuring de.` vice for each pot, common means for lling the kernel measuring devices, a salt measuring device for each pot, and means for operating the individual kernel measuring devices, each oi said last mentionedv means automatically operating also one of the sait measuring devicesto deposit a predetermined amount of kernels and salt in a pot.

2. In a popcorn machine, the lcombinationof,

kernel measuring devices, an oil measuring dea package measuring device receiving the popped l kernels from the last mentioned means.

5. In a popcorn machine, the combination of a, heater pot, a kernel measuring device, means -for filling the kernel measuring device, a saltmeasuring device and means for operating the kernel measuring device, said last mentioned means automatically operating the salt measuring device to deposit a predetermined amount of kernels and salt in a pot, and being arranged to deposit the salt after the kernels are deposited.

6. In a popcorn machine, the combination of a plurality of.. heater pots, a kernel measuring device for each pot, and common means for lling the kernel measuring devices, said means including a hopper, a vertical tubular screw conveyor rising therefrom, and another horizontal tubular screw conveyor operatively connected with the first screw conveyor.

'7.l In al popcorn machine, the combination of a plurality of heater pots, a kernel measuring device'for each pot, common means for lling the kernel measuring devices and common means for receiving the popped kernels from said pots, said last mentioned means including a trough and a wire conveyor therein, the upper run of which conveys the whole kernels in one direction and the lower run of which sweeps the duds in the opposite direction, and a package measuring device disposed to receive the kernels from said upper run.

8. In a popcorn machine, the combination of a plurality of heater pots, a kernel measuring device for each pot, common means for filling the kernel measuring devices, a salt measuring device for each pot and means for operating the individual kernel measuring devices, each of said last mentioned means automatically operating also one of the salt measuring devices to deposit a predetermined amount of kernels and salt in a pot, and being arranged to deposit the salt after the unpopped kernels are deposited.

9. In a popcorn machine, the combination of a plurality of heater pots, a kernel measuring device for each pot and common means for lilling the kernel measuring devices, and an oil measuring device for each pot, and common means for iilling the oil measuring devices, said last mentioned means providing for continuous circulation of the oil therethrough whether the oil measuring means are or are not operating whereby a constant temperature of the oil may be maintained,

10. The structure of claim l wherein the package measuring device is operated by compressed air cylinders and the exhaust from said cylinders on both closing and opening operation of the device is directed to said common means for receiving the kernels from said pots, to agitate the popcorn therein.

11. The structure of claim 2 wherein the oil circulating system includes for each pot an oil cup vertically reciprocal in a hollow cylinder and ports in said oil cup and hollow cylinders adapted to be placed into and out of registry.

12. The structure of claim 2 wherein the oil circulating system includes for each pot an oil cup vertically reciprocal in a hollow cylinder and ports in said oil cup and hollow cylinder adapted to be placed into and out of registry, and wherein the oil circulates through all of said hollow cylinders from and to a common oil supply tank in all positions of the oil cups.

13. In a popcorn machine of the class described, an oil measuring device including an oil cup vertically reciprocal in a hollow cylinder', ports in said oil cup and hollow cylinder adapted to be placed into and out of register for entry into and discharge respectively of oil from said cylinder through the intermediation of said oil cup, and means for continuously circulating oil through said cylinder from and to a supply tank in all positions of the oil cup within the cylinder.

14. In production of the class described, the combination with a plurality of heater pots, of a kernel measuring device individual to each pot and an oil measuring device individual to each pot, means for circulating a supply of kernels continuously adjacent the kernel measuring devices, and means for circulating the oil continuously adjacent the oil measuring devices, and means for discharging kernels and oil received by said measuring devices from said circulating means respectively to said pots while permitting said continuous circulation.

CLAUDE E. QUICK. 

